When it comes to choosing a JavaScript library or framework for building web applications, developers have a wide range of options and tools to choose from. Two of the most popular choices are Svelte and React. Both libraries have advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the right one for your project can be tough.
Svelte is a relatively new player in the field, having been released in 2016 by Rich Harris, and is currently maintained by the Svelte Society. It has recently gained popularity for its approach to building web applications, which focuses on providing a high-performance, lightweight solution.
React, on the other hand, has been around since 2013 and has become one of the most widely used JavaScript libraries for building web applications. It is known for its flexibility, large developer community, and ability to build complex user interfaces.
In this article, we will compare Svelte and React in terms of their features, performance, and adoption by the developer community. We will also take a deep dive into the key similarities and differences between Svelte vs. React to help developers decide which one is best suited for their needs, team’s skill set, and overall preferences. Ultimately, both frameworks have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is up to you to determine which one is the best fit for your project.
| Criteria | Svelte | React |
|---|---|---|
| Creation Year | 2016 | 2013 |
| Creator | Rich Harris | Jordan Walke |
| Documentation | Svelte Docs | React Docs |
| Language Type | Compiled Language | Interpreted Language |
| Typing | Dynamically Typed | Dynamically Typed, Statically Typed with TypeScript |
| TIOBE Rating | Not ranked as of 2021 | JavaScript is 8th as of 2021 |
| Popularity | Interest growing, see Google Trends data up to 2021 | Very popular, see StackOverflow survey 2021 |
| Applications | Frontend web development, mobile applications, etc. | Frontend web development, mobile applications via React Native, etc. |
| Performance | Faster initial load and updates due to compile-time optimizations | Slower initial load due to larger library size, efficient updates due to virtual DOM |
| Stability | Relatively new, less tested in large-scale production applications | Highly stable, extensively used in large-scale production applications |
| Learning Curve | Easier due to simpler syntax and fewer concepts | Higher due to JSX, state management, lifecycle methods, etc. |
| Community Support | Growing; GitHub, Discord, etc. Smaller number of online learning resources. | Extensive; GitHub, StackOverflow, etc. Large number of online learning resources. |
| Development Time | Often faster due to less boilerplate code | Can be slower due to more boilerplate code, faster with experience and reusable components |
| Key Advantages |
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| Key Disadvantages |
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| Famous companies using this technology | Few as of 2021; generally smaller companies and startups | Facebook, Instagram, Airbnb, Netflix (source) |
| Cross-Platform Support | Limited; primarily for web, no official mobile framework like React Native | Excellent; web with React, mobile with React Native |
What Is Svelte?
Svelte is a JavaScript framework for building web applications. It was developed to provide a more efficient alternative to frameworks like React and Angular by minimizing the runtime overhead required to update the user interface. Svelte achieves this by compiling components into standalone functions that manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM) directly rather than using a virtual DOM like React. Ultimately, it is designed to provide a high-performance, lightweight solution for building web applications.
One of the key features of Svelte is that it is a compiler-based framework rather than a runtime-based one like React. This means that Svelte converts your code into optimized JavaScript at build time rather than relying on a virtual DOM to update the DOM at runtime. This approach results in faster rendering and lower memory usage, which makes Svelte a good choice for applications that need to be fast and responsive.
Another advantage of Svelte is its simplicity. It has a small footprint and a minimal learning curve, making it easier for developers to get up to speed with the framework. It also has a declarative syntax similar to React, making it easy for developers familiar with React to learn.
What Is React?
React is a front-end JavaScript library created by Facebook that is designed to help developers build user interfaces for web applications, mobile apps, and even desktop applications. Over time, this framework has become one of the most widely used libraries utilized by developers. React’s key feature is that it renders a virtual representation of the user interface and efficiently updates the real DOM based on changes to the virtual DOM. As a result, this enables you to render changes to the user interface quickly and efficiently, making it a good choice for applications that need to be fast and responsive. In addition, this allows developers to declaratively define the UI and avoid direct manipulation of the DOM, which can be error-prone and difficult to debug.
React is also known for its flexibility and modularity. It allows developers to build reusable components that can be easily shared and reused across different parts of an application. This makes it easier to build and maintain large-scale applications. Last but not least, React has a large and active developer community, which means that there is a wealth of resources and tools available to help developers build and maintain their applications. Despite its advanced capabilities and the boom in popularity of React development services, it is beneficial for users to have prior knowledge of routing, client-side coding, and design patterns.
Svelte vs. React: How Are They Similar?
React and Svelte are JavaScript libraries allowing developers to build user interfaces for web and mobile applications. They both use a virtual DOM to update the actual DOM in the most efficient way possible, minimizing the number of actual DOM manipulations. Both libraries also have a reactive model, meaning they can automatically update the UI when the underlying data changes.
Svelte vs. React: The Key Differences
Developers should be aware of several key differences between React and Svelte when choosing which library to use for their projects. We will cover the key differences below.
#1 Performance
One of the main differences between React and Svelte is performance. Svelte is a compiler-based library, which means that it converts your code into vanilla JavaScript at build time. This allows Svelte to eliminate unnecessary code, resulting in smaller bundle sizes and faster runtime performance. In contrast, React is an interpreter-based library, meaning that it relies on the browser to interpret and execute the code at runtime. This can result in slower performance compared to Svelte.
#2 Learning Curve
Another key difference between React and Svelte is the learning curve. React has a relatively steep learning curve, especially for beginners. It requires a solid understanding of JavaScript and a good understanding of the virtual DOM concept. In contrast, Svelte has a much shallower learning curve and is easier to learn, especially for those new to front-end development.
#3 Community
React has a large and active community, with millions of developers using it worldwide. It has a wide range of third-party libraries, tools, and resources, and many online resources and tutorials for learning React. Svelte has a smaller, yet growing, community and is not as widely used as React. However, it is quickly gaining popularity and has a dedicated community of developers who are actively contributing to the project.
#4 Documentation
Both React and Svelte have excellent documentation, with clear and concise explanations of each feature and how to use them. React has a large and comprehensive documentation site, with detailed guides and tutorials for learning the library. Svelte also has a well-written documentation site, with clear explanations and examples of how to use the various features of the library.
#5 Dom Diffing
React and Svelte both use a virtual DOM to update the actual DOM in the most efficient way possible. However, they differ in how they implement this feature. React uses a diffing algorithm to determine the minimum number of DOM updates required to reflect the changes in the virtual DOM. In contrast, Svelte uses a compiler-based approach to eliminate unnecessary DOM updates and directly updates the DOM with the minimum number of operations.
#6 Reactivity
React and Svelte both have a reactive model, meaning they can automatically update the UI when the underlying data changes. However, they differ in how they implement this feature. React uses a unidirectional data flow, where data flows in a single direction from the parent component to the child component. Svelte uses a reactive model similar to Vue.js, where the component’s state is automatically reflected in the template and updates the UI when the state changes.
#7 Speed of Development
Svelte is generally considered to be faster to develop with compared to React, thanks to its simpler syntax and smaller size. This means that developers can build applications faster using Svelte compared to React.
#8 Tools and Libraries
React and Svelte both have a wide range of tools and libraries available to help developers build their applications. React has a large ecosystem of third-party libraries, including popular options such as Redux for managing application state and React Router for routing. Svelte also has a growing number of tools and libraries available, including Svelte Material UI for building Material Design-based user interfaces and Svelte Store for managing application state.
#9 Syntax
React and Svelte have different syntaxes for building components and rendering templates. React uses JSX, a syntax extension for JavaScript that allows developers to write HTML-like code within JavaScript. Svelte uses a template-based syntax that is similar to HTML, but with additional features such as component references and expressions.
#10 Packages
Both React and Svelte have a wide range of packages available, including core libraries and third-party packages. React has a large number of packages available on npm, the largest package manager for JavaScript. Svelte also has a growing number of packages available on npm, with a focus on lightweight and modular packages.
#11 Scalability
React and Svelte are both scalable libraries, meaning they can be used to build large and complex applications. React has a large and active community, with many developers using it to build large-scale applications. Svelte is a newer library, but it is designed to be lightweight and scalable, with a focus on keeping the bundle size small.
#12 Reusability
Both React and Svelte allow developers to create reusable components that can be easily shared and applied across different parts of the application. React uses a functional component model, where components are functions that return JSX templates. Svelte uses a template-based component model, where components are defined using HTML-like templates and can include logic and state management.
#13 Priority
React and Svelte have different priorities when it comes to building user interfaces. React is focused on providing a flexible and extensible platform for building web and mobile applications. It has a large and active community and a wide range of tools and libraries available. Svelte is focused on providing a lightweight and performant alternative to other JavaScript libraries, with a focus on keeping the bundle size small and runtime performance fast.
#14 User Interfaces
Both React and Svelte can be used to build user interfaces for web and mobile applications. React has a large and active community, with many developers using it to build a wide range of user interfaces. Svelte is a newer library, but it is quickly gaining popularity and is being used to build a variety of user interfaces, including web and mobile applications.
When Should You Use Svelte?
You should consider using Svelte when building a web application that needs to be fast and lightweight or if you are looking for a framework with a small learning curve. Svelte is often utilized for its simplicity due to its code resembling vanilla JavaScript. It is especially well-suited for building small to medium-sized applications that enable more effective control over state management, routing and numerous other customized frameworks. This JavaScript framework is particularly well-suited for applications that need to be fast and responsive, such as games, real-time applications, and mobile apps.
Apps Using Svelte:
When Should You Use React?
You should consider using React if you need to build a complex application with a large codebase and interactive user interface. It is especially well suited for building large-scale applications requiring efficient UI updates and lots of interaction. React is also a good choice if you want to build a reusable component library that can be shared across multiple projects. It has a large developer community and a wealth of resources and tools, making it easier to build and maintain large-scale applications. React is responsible for the view in the model-view-controller architecture, making it easy to manage low-level algorithms and only requiring coding for the interface’s view model.
Apps Using React:
Final Considerations
Your project’s specific needs and goals should be considered when deciding between Svelte and React. That said, there are several factors to consider when deciding whether to use Svelte or React for a project.
One key factor to consider is the performance of the library. Svelte is a compiler-based library, which means that it converts your code into vanilla JavaScript at build time, resulting in smaller bundle sizes and faster runtime performance. This makes it a good choice for projects that require fast performance, such as mobile apps or web applications with large amounts of data.
Another factor to consider is the learning curve of the library. Svelte has a shallower learning curve compared to React, making it a good choice for developers who are new to front-end development or who want to get up and running quickly. React, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve and may be more suitable for developers with more experience or who are willing to invest more time in learning the library.
The size and activity of the community surrounding the library is also an important factor to consider. React has a large and active community, with millions of developers using it worldwide. It has a wide range of third-party libraries, tools, and resources available, and there are many online resources and tutorials for learning React. Svelte has a smaller but growing community and is not as widely used as React. However, it is quickly gaining popularity and has a dedicated community of developers who are actively contributing to the project.
Conclusion: Which Is Better, Svelte or React?
The choice between Svelte and React will depend on your project’s specific needs and goals. Both libraries have their own unique set of features and benefits, and the right choice for your project will depend on a variety of factors such as performance, learning curve, community, documentation, DOM diffing, reactivity, speed of development, tools and libraries, syntax, packages, scalability, reusability, priority, and user interfaces.
Svelte is a compiler-based library designed to be lightweight and performant, focusing on small bundle sizes and fast runtime performance. It has a shallower learning curve compared to React and is easier to learn, especially for those new to front-end development. Svelte is a newer library with a smaller but growing community, and it is quickly gaining popularity.
React is an interpreter-based library focused on providing a flexible and extensible platform for building web and mobile applications. It has a large and active community, with millions of developers using it worldwide. React has a relatively steep learning curve, especially for beginners, and requires a solid understanding of JavaScript and the virtual DOM concept.
In conclusion, the choice between Svelte and React will depend on your project’s specific needs and goals. Both libraries have unique features and benefits, and it is important to carefully evaluate your options before making a decision. If you are building a large and complex application, React may be a better choice due to its flexibility and extensibility. If you are building a lightweight and performant application, Svelte may be a better choice due to its focus on small bundle sizes and fast runtime performance.
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